Arsenal ready to rival Chelsea for one of Europe's best forwards

Cameron Smith

• 23 Jan 2026 09:30 CST
• 3 min read

Nieuws

Arsenal and Chelsea have both reportedly held talks over a potential move for Atletico Madrid centre forward Julian Alvarez this summer.

The Argentina international has four-and-a-half years remaining on his current contract at the Wanda Metropolitano, however widespread reports suggest he is open to leaving the club following the conclusion of the 2025-26 campaign.

Alvarez has notched 40 goals and 13 assists in 85 matches since his arrival at Diego Simeone’s side from Manchester City and a return to the Premier League could be on the cards later this year amid significant transfer interest.

Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain are both known admirers of the 25-year-old, but Arsenal and Chelsea are ready to challenge for his signature after earmarking him as a potential striker signing.

Julian Alvarez to leave Atletico Madrid?

Reports in Spain have speculated that a €150 million price tag has been placed on Alvarez’s head by the Atletico Madrid hierarchy, while his Estimated Transfer Value (ETV) currently stands at a whopping €120m.

As a result, he is expected to command a major transfer fee this summer if Arsenal or Chelsea decide to finalise a deal.

TEAMtalk claim that both clubs have held talks with intermediaries over a summer move, although Barcelona remains his preferred destination.

However, Hansi Flick’s side have well-documented financial issues and Alvarez’s representatives have already sounded out alternative destinations as a result.

It’s reported that Alvarez would be open to moving to London this summer, and a major transfer battle is expected to take place over the next few months.

Arsenal and Chelsea both bolstered their forward ranks last year, however they view Alvarez as an elite player capable of elevating the level of their current squad, and they are ready to pursue a blockbuster 2026 transfer.

But, Chelsea’s pursuit of his signature may be complicated by the imminent arrivals of Emmanuel Emegha and Dastan Satpaev from Strasbourg and Kairat Almaty respectively, meaning Arsenal could be well-placed to finalise an agreement for his signature.

The FootballTransfers app

Check out FootballTransfers' new app for all of football's big storylines, transfer rumours and exclusive news in one convenient place directly on your mobile device.

The FootballTransfers app is available in the Apple App Store. Download here:

•App Store